The Consulate General of Japan in Mumbai has issued an advisory to Japanese tourists warning them to be very careful while visiting Anjuna beach.
The Consulate General has reportedly stated that recently, there have been multiple cases of confinement, fraud and robbery of Japanese tourists and has asked its nationals “to remain aware and vigilant of any activities of criminal groups targeting travellers, and implicating them into false cases of banned drug possession and then extorting money from them”.
It is no secret that Goa’s image as a safe tourist destination has taken a beating in the recent past with increasing media attention for some of the serious crimes including rapes and murder.
In June last year, a UK national was raped infront of her partner at Arambol beach. The month of December had begun with the most dreadful news of a Russian woman being raped by two room-boys at a hotel in Calangute, once again raising questions on the security and safety of tourists, especially women on the beaches of Goa.
In December 2019, the governments of the USA and UK issued travel advisories to their nationals suggesting they take safety measures while travelling to India, including Goa, stating that women travellers in India are at risk of getting assaulted.
O Heraldo, on Friday, had reported the impact of pesky domestic tourists at Calangute and Baga beaches, who pester foreign women in bikinis to pose for photos with them.
Just a fortnight ago, taking cognizance of a photograph published in O Heraldo on January 24, the Tourism Department had issued an advisory to tourists on January 27, aiming to protect the privacy of travellers, ensuring their safety and avoiding getting cheated by unscrupulous elements while they are on a visit to Goa.
On the other hand, the illegalities within the industry are a stumbling block for the State to ensure better performance of all the stakeholders. The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has for a long time demanded a strong arm against the illegal rental spaces, which according to estimates turnout to be around 60%. Tourists being overdosed with drugs, assaulted by goons and the unsolved problem of taxis, only add to the bad name and shame that the State receives.
The advisory by the Consulate General of Japan leaves very little for either the police or the tourism department to defend. The police-drug peddlers’ nexus has been exposed on multiple occasions and the action by the Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing and Osmania University police over the past eight months has turned many heads.
The need for a comprehensive and effective Goa Tourism Policy has never been felt more than today. The Goa Tourism Development Corporation being the nodal agency for tourism in the State, has to be made accountable for the lapses in the industry.
The Tourism Minister has to take appropriate steps to ensure that the industry is streamlined and every stakeholder is accounted for and registered with the government. If the procedural lapses continue then an advisory such as the one issued on January 27, will have no meaning as touts and fraudsters will continue to make merry at the cost of tourists.
The police department has to be made more accountable for the lack of guard and send a strong message to every anti-social element that Goa is not a haven for lawlessness.
